Scuba diving in South Africa
If it's variety you're after, you've come to the right place. South Africa has an enormously long coastline ranging from about 35°S to 27°S, which isn't quite within the usual range for tropical diving.
But the Mozambique Current flows down our east coast, bringing warm tropical water with it, and at Sodwana Bay we have the most southerly coral reefs in the world.
Here you'll find the full complement of pretty colourful fish and some great nudibranchs, including the outrageous Spanish dancer. Whale sharks, turtles, dolphins and ragged tooth sharks are often seen in specific areas.
As you head down the coast the underwater environment changes gradually until, once you reach Cape Town, you're diving in chilly but beautiful kelp forests. There are three major types of kelp, and a short portion of the Western Cape coast is the only place in the world that they all grow together.
- Click down to: Scuba diving quick links
If you've always shunned cold water diving, consider it. Sure, you have to don a thick wetsuit with constraining hoodie and gloves, but it's worth it. Diving in kelp is like walking in a forest - you float beneath the canopy and admire the surprisingly colourful reef life.
Off Cape Town, divers regularly see anemones in colours ranging from electric blue or deep red to pale pink, nudibranchs of almost every colour you can imagine, and a range of small creatures in and around the bright orange and sulphur yellow sponges.
There are dive schools in almost every centre, with a surprising number in landlocked Johannesburg, where people do their training before heading down to Sodwana Bay for their qualifying dives.
There is even an inland dive resort near Johannesburg, where students can do their first dive or two in a disused quarry. Komati Springs is a much deeper disused quarry in Mpumalanga province, where rebreather, mixed gas and deep diving courses are run.
Take careful note of your no-fly limits, however. A flight from sea level to Johannesburg can take only an hour, but you gain about 2 000 metres (7 000 feet) in altitude - that's without even considering the flight.
This represents a major risk, so adjust your itinerary to include a day of sightseeing, shopping or beach lounging between diving and travelling to Johannesburg.
Scuba diving quick links
Adventure Diving Safaris - Adventure scuba diving safaris and holidays to South Africa and Mozambique. Great White Shark cage diving, reef diving, shark diving, wreck diving.
African Odyssea - From the founder dive operator on Protea Banks who pioneered safe cageless diving with Bull Sharks (Zambezis), Tigers and Great Whites, Trevor Krull offers you a unique dive safari through southern Africa. Casual day divers also welcome.
Africa Shark Dive Safaris - Great white shark cage diving, white shark breaching, whale watching and scuba diving tours in South Africa and Mozambique, as well as Cape Town and Garden Route tours, aerial tours and wildlife safaris.
Aliwal Dive Charters - Full dive packages around the Aliwal Shoal on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast.
Amatikulu Tours - Scuba dive tours and safaris around KwaZulu-Natal.
Coral Divers - Operate a dive camp at Sodwana Bay in KwaZulu-Natal, offering dive packages, equipment hire and accommodation, as well as various PADI dive courses.
Dive South Africa - Extreme African scuba diving safaris. Dive with sharks, whale sharks, whales, dolphins and turtles. Great White Shark cage diving, tropical reef diving and wreck diving holidays.
Dive the Big Five - All kinds of diving around South Africa, from reef to wreck, shark and cage diving. Tour packages and safaris can be arranged.
Dive Travel Centre - Johannesburg-based operator offering diving packages, a dive school, dive shop and various diving tours.
Extreme 3 Adventures - Tour company that focuses on showing its guests the best outdoor extreme sports and adventures Southern Africa has got to offer, including adventures on earth (mountain biking), air (abseiling, power kiting, sky diving) and water (kite surfing, scuba diving, white water rafting).
KwaMnandi Dive Lodge - The perfect base for shark diving, wreck diving, reef diving and Great White Shark cage diving in South Africa. Central to Aliwal Shoal, Protea Banks, Rocky Bay, Gansbaai, Dyer Island, Mosselbaai, Sodwana Bay, Mozambique and Cape Town.
Pro Dive - Port Elizabeth based dive centre offering everything from courses and rentals to news about the sport.
Scuba Shack - A dive shop in Cape Town that also offers full diving packages.
Touch Africa Safaris - Scuba diving packages around South Africa as well as wildlife safaris.
The Great White House - African cottage-style accommodation, superb food, whale watching and Great White shark cage diving tours in Gansbaai in the Western Cape.
SAinfo reporter and South African Tourism
